Montreal candidates make last rounds without Denis Coderre

In the final week of thecampaign, we're following the two main Montrealmayoral candidatesDenis Coderre and Valrie Planteas they battle for top spot at city hall. Here's a look at what happened today.

With only two days left before voters head to the polls, quipe Denis Coderre was out on the Montreal hustings Friday without the man for whom the team is named.

In a rare break from the spotlight, Denis Coderre has taken a more low-key approach during the final stretch of the municipal campaign, while his mainopponent, Projet Montral's ValriePlante,is making as many appearances as possible.

"The mayor trusts us to deliver this important message to citizens, so he's busy, he's meeting the media, he's meeting the citizens," said Harout Chitilian, a candidate for Ahuntsic-Cartierville borough mayor.

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In the star candidate's absence, it wasChitilian and Anie Samson, the candidate for borough mayor of VilleraySaint-MichelParc-Extension,who were outreminding Montrealersof their party'saccomplishments over the past four years.

"It's been week after week of hard work,"saidChitilian. "We're working hard, and we're making respectful promises."

They were also quick to take aim at Plante, saying that citizens deserved better than her promises and that,unlike them,her party's candidates had yet to take the reins at news conferences.

But as they stood by their absent leader, another once prominent member of quipe Coderre appeared to be taking her distance from the party's namesake.

Several voters in Villeray told Radio-Canada that city councillor Elsie Lefebvre had stressed to them that they could vote for her without voting for Coderre.

"She minimized the fact that she is part of quipe Coderre," said Stphanie Neveu, who spoke with Lefebvre recently.

"She told me I could vote for herwithout voting for Denis Coderre," said Patrick Henein.

Lefebvre was a star recruit for Coderre earlier this spring. The former Parti Qubcois MNA was initially elected under the Coalition Montreal banner.

After joining Coderre's party she was given the STM's vice-chair position. In the early weeks of the campaign, she was a near-constant presence by Coderre's side.

But she was notably absent at a news conference on Thursday, where other Coderre's other recruits from the opposition were speaking. Her campaign material also makes little reference to Coderre or the party.

Lefebvre defended her campaign strategy, saying "it's important for democracy to know your local candidates."

Plante confident

With the municipal campaign now down to the wire, those running for top spots at Montreal's city hall know their success or defeat depends on how many voters show up on Sunday.

For Plante, that meant spending the morning taking public transit, where shetalkedto potential voters about her vision for the city and proposal of the Pink line,connectingMontreal North toLachinethrough 29 Metrostations.

While the two main mayoral candidates are in a dead heat according to a recent poll, Plante acknowledges there are still obstacles ahead.

"It's going very well for us, the polls are good, but until the finish lane the biggest challenge will be to get the voters out," she said.

But she's also confident that Montrealers will turn out in droves.

"I got to say it will be bigger and higher than before because this campaign was addressing issues and questions that Montrealers have."

Make a date with CBC for election night this Sunday, Nov. 5:

• CBC'sfull coverage of the 2017 municipal election

Online:Get breaking news and live results at cbc.ca/montreal after polls close at 8 p.m.

On Facebook:Join host Debra Arbec for a 90-minute Facebook Live starting at 10 p.m. with results, analysis and reports from across Quebec.

On TV:Watch our live results show at 11-11:30 p.m. on CBC Television.

On Radio:Listen to CBCRadio One starting at 8 p.m. for a province-wide show hosted by Mike Finnerty in Montreal and Susan Campbell in Quebec City.